Coke Mascot Caught with Pepsi in Taika Waititi’s Super Bowl Scandal
Pepsi Zero's Super Bowl ad, ‘The Choice’, takes an icon of Coca-Cola marketing, the Polar Bear, and converts them to the other side.
Created by BBDO and PepsiCo’s Content Studio, and directed by Taika Waititi via hungryman, the ad shows a polar bear performing a blind taste test between Pepsi Zero and Coke Zero, only to discover they prefer the Pepsi drink.
This realisation sends the bear (CG from creature VFX experts Framestore) into a spiral, questioning everything to the apt soundtrack of Queen’s ‘I Want to Break Free’.
This is, of course, a call-back to Pepsi’s iconic ‘Pepsi Challenge’ - the 1975 blind taste-test that was revived by the brand last year. Gustavo Reyna, VP of marketing at Pepsi, tells LBB that the results of this recent iteration were a “major spark” for bringing Pepsi Zero to the Big Game.
“66% of America chose Pepsi Zero Sugar in blind tests across every market – it gave us a powerful, modern proof point,” he says. “That clear, repeatable result became the creative engine for the Super Bowl. We wanted to dramatise that insight in a fun, culturally resonant way – so ‘The Choice’ brings the ‘Pepsi Challenge’ to life through a story that shows what happens when bias is stripped away and taste is the only thing that matters.
“The Challenge didn’t just inspire the ad; it supports our larger strategy.”
Featuring your biggest competitor’s product in your limited 30 seconds of screen time isn’t something many Super Bowl marketers would do. But Gustavo says that a challenger mindset “guides all of Pepsi’s work”, and so the creative became all about confidently displaying Pepsi Zero’s proven taste advantage on the biggest stage possible. “We were intentional, thoughtful, and ensured everything stayed rooted in taste, which is where we have real authority.”
In the film, one of the Coke mascot’s first stops is a therapist’s office, seeking help from a psychoanalyst, played by Taika Waititi himself. “His creative instincts elevated every moment, and his cameo became one of my favourite parts of the spot,” says Gustavo. “Collaborating with him brought a level of craft, wit, and warmth that helped transform a simple truth about taste into a memorable Super Bowl story; he is brilliant at telling a human story with humour, honesty and heart.”
In a brand announcement for the spot, Taika said, “I love a good challenge, so I jumped at the chance to take part in what many consider the biggest pop culture competition outside of ‘streaming vs. theatrical’. I’m honoured to play a small part in Pepsi’s legacy – and the iconic Cola Wars.”
Following its encounter with Taika, the film’s protagonist polar bear wanders the streets in dismay, before bumping into another polar bear who has had the same revelation. Sharing this connection, the two bears hit it off, and subsequently attend a concert together. Amidst the raucous event, the two bears are caught on camera enjoying Pepsi Zero in a playful reference to 2025's Coldplay concert couple.
Initially mortified, the pair appear to finally have a weight lifted from their snowy shoulders and they remain in a happy embrace with the drinks in hand, instead of diving to the ground like the viral kisscam duo.
The 45-second film, which will air during the Super Bowl broadcast on February 8th as a 30-second cutdown, comes following a teaser campaign that included social media posts hinting at the inclusion of polar bears, as well as a 15-second teaser video echoing the ‘Pepsi Challenge’.
The campaign also involves a gameday social giveaway on X, digital ‘Pepsi Challenge’ activations with test kits being delivered via Gopuff in select markets, and IRL activations in the Bay Area.
Gustavo says that the campaign is designed to extend “well beyond” the broadcast, using the Super Bowl to launch a broader 360° effort to keep its “taste superiority message” alive. “From our extended cut and creator content to ongoing social storytelling, nationwide polar bear appearances, podcast integrations, and Pepsi Challenge kits that let people try the product themselves, we’re ensuring the idea continues to show up in culture long after Sunday.”
Compared to previous Big Game marketing moments – which has included sponsoring the halftime show – Gustavo says Pepsi’s strategy has evolved into “a broader, more integrated way to connect with consumers – starting before kickoff and continuing long after the game – while still showing up with the scale and cultural impact people expect from Pepsi.”
This year’s focus was on Pepsi Zero, not just because of its success in the ‘Pepsi Challenge’ blind tests, but because of increasing consumer interest in zero sugar colas. “Demand is accelerating, and Pepsi Zero Sugar is outpacing the entire category,” says Gustavo. “In 2025, [Pepsi Zero] delivered +30% growth, grew nearly three times faster than the competitor, and gained more than one million new households, proving it’s where the momentum is.
“Zero sugar is now one of the biggest growth opportunities in cola, and we’re putting our fastest growing product on the biggest stage to reinforce a simple truth: people want great taste without compromise – and Pepsi Zero Sugar delivers exactly that.”
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